It was only four years ago Lane Kiffin offered a PowerPoint presentation to recruits comparing the number of USC offensive linemen drafted in the first round compared to Stanford.

It did not really work because two blue-chip linemen, Andrus Peat and Kyle Murphy, chose Stanford over USC. Coincidentally, former USC athletic director Pat Haden actively pursued both after becoming certified to recruit by the NCAA because the Trojans’ coaching staff was shorthanded.

But Stanford did not just steal the Trojans’ recruits, it stole the Trojans identity in recent seasons. The Cardinal have the Heisman Trophy candidate at tailback (Christian McCaffrey). The Cardinal have the Pac-12 Conference’s hot coach (David Shaw). The Cardinal have the reputation for physical football.

While USC now runs its offense out of a shotgun formation, the Cardinal run the traditional pro-style offense.

And the Cardinal are the team to win three conference titles in the past four years. At least someone at USC was angry Tuesday about the fact Stanford beat the Trojans twice last season.

“That should never happen at USC, to lose twice in a season, let alone one time,” tailback Justin Davis said. “It’s driving us crazy.”

There is an argument to be made that USC’s season almost rests on this outcome. An upset of Stanford and the Trojans regain their bravado, become a favorite for the conference title and regain national prestige after being embarrassed by Alabama.

A loss cements all the doubts about USC the past two weeks and puts the Trojans’ into a tailspin that will be difficult to escape with a trip to Utah the following week. A .500 season will be anticipated with a loss in Palo Alto.

The gamblers seem skeptical over the Trojans’ chances. The game opened with USC a 6.5-point underdog and quickly increased to 8.5.

USC coach Clay Helton raised the stakes of this game by preparing for it in the spring and saying Stanford’s physical nature was too much for the Trojans last season.

“You saw the difference in the Pac-12 championship game,” he said. “It’s something we’ve worked on in the spring and fall for this game. Our guys are excited about it.”

Alabama was supposed to provide the first test and everyone knows how that worked out.

The atmosphere should be easier for USC to handle than the Alabama-fan-filled AT&T Stadium. Stanford Stadium seats only 50,000 and the game is not a sellout.

USC actually won there two years ago, 13-10. And the Cardinal are breaking in a new quarterback (Ryan Burns).

It might make USC fans more confident if the Trojans’ identity was easier to decipher. This is being treated as the week All-American wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster returned to the offense after being held to one reception against Alabama.

But Smith-Schuster had only 56 yards receiving against Utah State. That does not sound like a stirring comeback. Is USC going to get him the ball more against Stanford?

The Trojans are not a quick-strike offense through two games, which is not ideal when facing McCaffrey, who can score from any point of the field.

It sounds like a weekly argument, but again, the role of quarterback Sam Darnold provides the wild-card aspect for USC. His arm strength and ability to run are probably one of Shaw’s bigger concerns.

“(Stanford’s defense) brings the right pressure, they don’t give things to you,” USC quarterbacks coach Tyson Helton said. “We don’t really see (Darnold) as a backup. His role speaks to his talents.”

Darnold goes into the game when the ball gets inside the 20-yard line because it gets harder to run the ball, Tyson Helton said. His speed gives USC a chance to do more than pass.

“He can do both,” Helton said. “It’s not anything new to us to see what he’s done the first two games.”

This is the reality of USC football. To hope a freshman can deliver the upset. While Stanford simply does the same things Shaw emphasizes year after year.

Does this mean Stanford will win Saturday? No. But it plays with a common purpose. USC cannot say that with four different coaches in four seasons.

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